Improvement in means for converting breech-loading rifles into muzzle-loaders



C. D. LADD.

MEANS FOR couvmmm BR-EECH-LOADIIIG RIFLES INTO I MUZZLE-LOADERS.

No.173,476. Patented Feb. 15, 1876.

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"PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGYON, D C- CHARLES D. LADD, OF SANFRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MEANS FOR CONVERTING BREECH-LOADING RIFLES INTOMUZZLE-LOADERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,476, dated February15, 1876 application filed January 4, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. LADD, of San Francisco city and county,State of California, have invented an Attachment for Breech-LoadingRifles; and I do hereby declare the following description andaccompanying drawings are suflicient to enable any person skilled in theart or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use mysaid invention without further invention or experiment.

The object of my invention is to provide an attachment forbreeclrloading rifles, by the use of which I am enabled at any time tocorn vert the breech-loader into a muzzle-loader, with a convenientmechanism for removing exploded caps.

Among the objections to breech -loading rifles are the expense of thecartridges and the uselessness of the piece if the hunter should exhausthis peculiar amnmnition when at a distance from supplies of it.

Another great trouble is, that the fixed am munition for breech-loadersis usually made with heavy charges of powder and heavy balls, fitted forthe largest game, but which would utterly destroy small animals orbirds, besides making a very disagreeable recoil.

In order to overcome these difiiculties I construct a tube, A, havingits exterior shaped precisely like a cartridge, so as to fit perfectlyin the chamber of the rifle B. In the front of this cylinder a smallchamber, 0, is made, similar to the chamber of muzzle-loading rifles,and this chamber has a passage, 61, extending back to the nipple e,which occupies the same position that the anvil does in the ordinarycentral-fire cartridge.

I have shown my device as adapted to the Remington rifle; but it will bereadily seen that it can be easily fitted to any other form of breechmechanism. In this rifle the shell is usually extracted by means of aretra-ctor, F, which is operated by the secondary hammer G of thisweapon, and as the head of my attachment is shaped like acartridge-shell, it is necessary to make a slot in one side of it toallow the retractor to act without removing the tube. As a percussioncapis used upon this tube, as in.muzzle-loaders, it is necessary to removethis cap at'ter exploding. In order to do this I surround the tube withaloose ring, it, and a spring-latch arm, z, extends outward until itshead is in such a position as to be caught by the retractor anddrawn-back with it. This action removes the cap from the tube, when thering is stopped by striking a pin, a, in the side of the tube. Thecontinued movement of the hammer causes the retractor to slip past thelatch, which, with the ring, will slip back, so that a new cap can beplaced upon the nipple.

When the hammer G is let down to its place the retractor will slide pastthe latch z', and

again be in readiness to withdraw a cap after the rifle has been fired.The charge of loose powder may be as large or small as desired, and canbe inserted from the muzzle. The ball may also be patched and seated bymeans of a ramrod, in the usual manner, so that for small game, asbirds, squirrels, &c., a light charge of powder and a small round ballcan be used, while the fixed and more costly ammunition can be reservedfor larger game.

The attachment can readily be seated by pressure at any time, and may beremoved by forcing it out by a ramrod.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patcut, is-

The tube A, with its nipplec, provided with its retracting-ring h andlatch z, in combination with the chamber of a breech-loadin g rifle andthe retractor F, or equivalent device, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.

CHARLES D. LADD.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. STRONG, JNo. L. BooNE.

